KEY POINTS:
Geoff Allott suspected it was a case of when, not if, he would get involved with cricket again.
So when New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan sounded him out about the newly created role of general manager of cricket in the restructured organisation, Allott's ears pricked up.
He had not specifically been thinking about a job in cricket at the time and he felt a strong loyalty to his business colleagues.
"But looking through the job description and scope, I couldn't help but think about it, that perhaps this is the time and the opportunity to really make a difference in a sport I love," he said yesterday.
"What more could you ask for?"
Allott's international career as a sharpish left-arm fast bowler ended in 2000, curtailed by back problems.
His career has two chief claims to places in New Zealand cricket folklore.
He holds the world record for the longest test duck, 101 minutes and 77 balls against South Africa at Eden Park in 1999, his last-wicket partnership with his Canterbury teammate Chris Harris doing much to help New Zealand get out of a hole and obtain a draw.
A few months later, Allott took a record 20 wickets in nine games at an outstanding 16.25 each at the World Cup in England, a mark later equalled by Shane Warne. His international career ended in late 2000. Since retiring Allott has carved out a successful business career, co-founding FACE Finance, a subsidiary of South Canterbury Finance, dealing mainly in heavy plant equipment.
Allott's role is a crucial one in the redesigned NZC administration. He is responsible for overseeing the national team operations, elite coaching, selectors and players and is one of six people who report directly to Vaughan.
He hopes that while his network of cricket contacts is wide, he is also able to use what he's learned from the boardroom. Allott believes his relatively young age should not be a factor in assessing his merits for the job.
'It's more about having experience in other fields. You learn a lot about cricket during a professional career, but it's more about having business experience and bringing that into the mix and what I can offer New Zealand cricket."
He feels his playing days are far enough removed - yet not so far that he is out of touch - to give him the right perspective. He starts at NZC in the first week of March.
Geoff Allott:
* Age: 36
* Tests: 10
* Wickets: 19 at 58.47
* ODIs: 31
* Wickets: 52 at 23.21
